NORTHERN BEDFORD
1979 GIRLS BASKETBALL
Two things stand out as reasons for Northern Bedford’s success and undefeated season in 1978-79.
Lew Ewart took over as the varsity girls basketball head coach for the 1977-78 season, and a group of young ladies that were both athletic and driven to succeed were members of that first team. After a learning year, in which the Panthers did have a
successful and winning season, things took off the next fall. It all added up to one of the most remarkable basketball seasons that any team in Bedford County has ever had.
After a nine-point opening game win over Southern Fulton, NB did not see anyone keep within single digits of them until Bedford came close. Bedford had the Lady
Panthers tied at 37-37 with 2:42 left in the game. Senior co-captain Alexia Hart stepped to the free throw line and hit two shots, and the Panthers continued to score and
finished with a four-point 48-44 win in their closest game of the regular season.
The Lady Panthers average scoring margin was 56.4 to 30.9 points per game for the season. They finished 20-0 and held both the Sideling Hill and Bedford County League titles. Even more impressive was their District 5 playoff run.
Northern won all three District 5 playoff games by more than 20 points with the closest game being a 53-29 win over Shanksville in the District 5 championship. In that game played at Windber, the Panthers blanked Shanksville 13-0 in the first quarter and
blitzed the Lady Vikings to the tune of 27-5 lead by halftime. Robin Imler (19 points), Rhonda Replogle (11), and Deb Koontz (10) paced the Lady Panther scoring. NB finished
with an unblemished 23-0 record that fall, and it is still the only girls basketball team in Bedford County history to go undefeated through the regular season and district playoffs.
NB would have to wait until March to play again due to the differences in PIAA seasons. After defeating Mercyhurst Prep from District 10 by a 49-43 decision, the Lady
Panthers faced Bishop McCort in a second round game between two of the three teams that generally regarded as the strongest contenders to win the Western region that year.
Fighting back from a five-point halftime deficit, NB took a four-point lead with just over three minutes remaining. The Lady Crushers went on a five-point run to retake the lead, but Deb O’Neal was the hero hitting a shot in the final seconds to send the game to overtime at 46-46. With McCort star Patty Bradley scoring all six overtime points, McCort outlasted NB by a 52-48 score in overtime. The Panthers concluded with a 24-1 overall record.
The state semifinal game shows how close NB was to becoming the first Bedford County team to play for a state title. Johnsonburg outscored McCort, 6-2, in the final
minute of regulation in the Western Final (PIAA state semifinal) sending the Ramettes, the third of the ‘big three’ contenders, to the state championship game via an identical 52-48 score that had eliminated the Lady Panthers just a few days earlier.
Both Robin Imler (14.7) and Alexia Hart (11.5) averaged double-digits for NB in their remarkable 24-1 campaign, but the strength of the team might be best seen by their balance. Each of the other three starters averaged 6.5 or more points per game,
and the three top subs on the squad averaged a combined seven points themselves.
This team is definitely one of a handful of squads that are discussed when the topic of “greatest Bedford County teams ever” comes up among girls basketball fans.
They are a testament to great coaching, great leadership, athletic ability, and the desire and work ethic to succeed all coming together with the right group at the right time.
Of the many outstanding teams that Lew Ewart coached in boys and girls basketball at Northern Bedford, those who knew him well felt this was the team in which he was most proud.
1979 GIRLS BASKETBALL
Two things stand out as reasons for Northern Bedford’s success and undefeated season in 1978-79.
Lew Ewart took over as the varsity girls basketball head coach for the 1977-78 season, and a group of young ladies that were both athletic and driven to succeed were members of that first team. After a learning year, in which the Panthers did have a
successful and winning season, things took off the next fall. It all added up to one of the most remarkable basketball seasons that any team in Bedford County has ever had.
After a nine-point opening game win over Southern Fulton, NB did not see anyone keep within single digits of them until Bedford came close. Bedford had the Lady
Panthers tied at 37-37 with 2:42 left in the game. Senior co-captain Alexia Hart stepped to the free throw line and hit two shots, and the Panthers continued to score and
finished with a four-point 48-44 win in their closest game of the regular season.
The Lady Panthers average scoring margin was 56.4 to 30.9 points per game for the season. They finished 20-0 and held both the Sideling Hill and Bedford County League titles. Even more impressive was their District 5 playoff run.
Northern won all three District 5 playoff games by more than 20 points with the closest game being a 53-29 win over Shanksville in the District 5 championship. In that game played at Windber, the Panthers blanked Shanksville 13-0 in the first quarter and
blitzed the Lady Vikings to the tune of 27-5 lead by halftime. Robin Imler (19 points), Rhonda Replogle (11), and Deb Koontz (10) paced the Lady Panther scoring. NB finished
with an unblemished 23-0 record that fall, and it is still the only girls basketball team in Bedford County history to go undefeated through the regular season and district playoffs.
NB would have to wait until March to play again due to the differences in PIAA seasons. After defeating Mercyhurst Prep from District 10 by a 49-43 decision, the Lady
Panthers faced Bishop McCort in a second round game between two of the three teams that generally regarded as the strongest contenders to win the Western region that year.
Fighting back from a five-point halftime deficit, NB took a four-point lead with just over three minutes remaining. The Lady Crushers went on a five-point run to retake the lead, but Deb O’Neal was the hero hitting a shot in the final seconds to send the game to overtime at 46-46. With McCort star Patty Bradley scoring all six overtime points, McCort outlasted NB by a 52-48 score in overtime. The Panthers concluded with a 24-1 overall record.
The state semifinal game shows how close NB was to becoming the first Bedford County team to play for a state title. Johnsonburg outscored McCort, 6-2, in the final
minute of regulation in the Western Final (PIAA state semifinal) sending the Ramettes, the third of the ‘big three’ contenders, to the state championship game via an identical 52-48 score that had eliminated the Lady Panthers just a few days earlier.
Both Robin Imler (14.7) and Alexia Hart (11.5) averaged double-digits for NB in their remarkable 24-1 campaign, but the strength of the team might be best seen by their balance. Each of the other three starters averaged 6.5 or more points per game,
and the three top subs on the squad averaged a combined seven points themselves.
This team is definitely one of a handful of squads that are discussed when the topic of “greatest Bedford County teams ever” comes up among girls basketball fans.
They are a testament to great coaching, great leadership, athletic ability, and the desire and work ethic to succeed all coming together with the right group at the right time.
Of the many outstanding teams that Lew Ewart coached in boys and girls basketball at Northern Bedford, those who knew him well felt this was the team in which he was most proud.
Class of 2017
Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame
Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Class of 2017